Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from Australian Community Media, which has journalists in every state and territory. Sign up here to get it by email, or here to forward it to a friend. Hopefully you might get some quiet time on Sunday to enjoy some handpicked content from across the ACM network. From the recollections of an aid worker who walked out of a jail in Serbia 20 years ago this week, to the magic of dogs and even the misplaced "magic" of tap-and-go cards ... we've got it all today. Take a moment to meet Bert Shaw, too, you won't regret it. The tap-and-go system on bank cards may be convenient for the consumer but it's a goldmine for thieves. Changing technology often allows criminals to carry out crime more easily. So much so that deception-related offences in Warrnambool in the year to March have increased by a stunning 720 per cent since 2016. Read on For five days of every month, from the age of 14, Shannon Sandford "couldn't move". She couldn't go to school, and she struggled to get out of bed due to crippling lower abdominal pain. For more than three years, her symptoms were put down to acute period pain. Wrong. Read on In a season when country AFL leagues have struggled, 62-year-old Corryong footballer Peter 'Bert Einstein' Shaw has provided some welcome relief. The Border Mail's Brett Kohlhagen caught up with the easy-going Demon this week. You don't need to be a sports fan to enjoy this. Read on He still remembers the bliss as he sank into the back seat. "I remember the sunshine - the beautiful sunshine - especially the sunshine. And the rolling green fields." Not only had he seen barely a ray of sun for 154 days but he had been hooded and subjected to fake executions when his captors were trying to break him soon after his arrest. Steve Pratt has been free now for exactly 20 years. Read on They saved lives, find hidden treasures and provide emotional support for some people on their darkest days. Yes, they're our best friends. They're not bad workers, either, Read on With 30 years in the music industry under her belt Gina Jeffreys thought she'd been there, done that and had the lyrics to prove it. She was wrong. A 12-year break from touring and recording to raise her son Jackson proved to be life-changing in more ways than one. Read on Enjoy Sunday.

Hopefully you might get some quiet time on Sunday to enjoy some handpicked content from across the ACM network. From the recollections of an aid worker who walked out of a jail in Serbia 20 years ago this week, to the magic of dogs and even the misplaced "magic" of tap-and-go cards ... we've got it all today. Take a moment to meet Bert Shaw, too, you won't regret it.

Warrnambool's Mick Townsend had someone spend $1400 using tap-and-go on his accounts when his wallet was stolen. Photo: Mark Witte

The tap-and-go system on bank cards may be convenient for the consumer but it's a goldmine for thieves. Changing technology often allows criminals to carry out crime more easily. So much so that deception-related offences in Warrnambool in the year to March have increased by a stunning 720 per cent since 2016. Read on

Shannon Sandford struggled for six long years with fertility issues due to the health condition, but now she proudly holds her one-year-old "miracle baby" Michaela, now one. Photo: Jonathan Carroll

NEWCASTLE HERALD: 'They thought it was normal period pain': they were wrong

For five days of every month, from the age of 14, Shannon Sandford "couldn't move". She couldn't go to school, and she struggled to get out of bed due to crippling lower abdominal pain. For more than three years, her symptoms were put down to acute period pain. Wrong. Read on

Peter Shaw hopes to play for country footy next season but doesn't like his chances. Photo: JAMES WILTSHIRE

THE BORDER MAIL: The Teletubby sledge Bert Shaw has never forgotten

In a season when country AFL leagues have struggled, 62-year-old Corryong footballer Peter 'Bert Einstein' Shaw has provided some welcome relief. The Border Mail's Brett Kohlhagen caught up with the easy-going Demon this week. You don't need to be a sports fan to enjoy this. Read on

AID WORKER: Steve Pratt. Photo: Dion Georgopoulos.

CANBERRA TIMES: The joy of sunlight after a Serbian prison

He still remembers the bliss as he sank into the back seat. "I remember the sunshine - the beautiful sunshine - especially the sunshine. And the rolling green fields." Not only had he seen barely a ray of sun for 154 days but he had been hooded and subjected to fake executions when his captors were trying to break him soon after his arrest. Steve Pratt has been free now for exactly 20 years. Read on

WESTERN ADVOCATE: Working dogs are putting their best paw forward

They saved lives, find hidden treasures and provide emotional support for some people on their darkest days. Yes, they're our best friends. They're not bad workers, either, Read on

Gina Jeffreys. Photo: Danya Morrison

NEWCASTLE HERALD: Gina Jeffreys on life, loss and singing from the heart

With 30 years in the music industry under her belt Gina Jeffreys thought she'd been there, done that and had the lyrics to prove it. She was wrong. A 12-year break from touring and recording to raise her son Jackson proved to be life-changing in more ways than one. Read on

Enjoy Sunday.

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